Homeworld Conflict

by Lily Lain

Test Subjects

When the Corvette flew away from the dragon lands, no one of the ambassador unit looked back. They all tried their best not to notice the Dragons escorting them and breathed a sigh of relief when the scales were replaced by the metal hull of the Scouts.

The psychic field is being analysed.

The only possibility for the Fleet to access these powers is to construct more Unbound.
The only ship where the merging of biological and mechanical components has occurred is the Mothership.
There aren’t enough resources and time to proceed with this goal.

“Are we defenceless against these types of weaponry?” asked Fleet Command.

We must develop mechanical psychic disruptors.
Without living test subjects, however, it’s impossible to calibrate the instruments.
We must acquire, either through kidnapping or diplomacy, at least one living test subject.

A group of spaceful Corvettes was launched toward the Equine territory, the ambassador unit at their head. They all landed before the mountain Canterlot stood on and waited when the speaker and his colleagues exited their ship and headed toward the palace. At once, a group of guards were at their sides, escorting them forward as the surprised population stared in wonder yet again.

Celestia and Luna were already waiting, having answered the call from the Mothership.

“Isn’t the Council meeting a few days from now?” asked Celestia after pleasantries were exchanged.

“Of course it is,” said the speaker, “but it isn’t what we wish to talk about. We come with a proposition.” Celestia nodded to urge him onward. “We, as the Kushan Fleet, and as a group of insanely curious scientists, would like to study the ‘magic’ that your species possess. We have discerned that your kind in particular has the most prominent psychic abilities.”

“We find it wonderful that you are curious,” said Luna. “But we would love to initiate an exchange of knowledge. I think you’ve got far better advancements in medicine for one.”

“Ah, of course we have a bargaining chip.” The speaker grinned. “You see, during both our and other nations’ research with the clones, we have faced a problem of cancer developing in almost seventy percent of the cases. While we worked on upgrading our cloning processes, we managed to develop a stitched solution: multiple new methods of cancer treatment. They have raised the survivability rates up to over eighty percent, ninety in some cases.

That is not all, however. We have raised the survivability for especially dangerous cancer types, such as lung cancer, leukaemia, and others. We can present you with all of the necessary papers, experiments and everything else required to effectively use these treatments if you agree to our proposition.”

Luna’s eyes shone, and so did Celestia’s, although her wonder was far more concealed. “Do you mean it would require any unicorn able to use magic, or Luna and me in particular?” asked the latter.

“We would require the most powerful units of the species, as our psychic-field-detection equipment is not quite tuned in yet.” The speaker’s voice was kept level, but his advisor entertained a sly smirk toward the engineers and a respectful nod toward him. They were supposed to catch a few fish, but a whale was also welcome.

“I volunteer,” proclaimed Luna. “It would be best for the fairness of trade, however, to examine these papers before we leave for your Mothership. Assuming you wish to perform your tests there, of course.”

A few biologists were brought to the chamber. Or, more accurately, a few biologists miraculously didn’t break their necks as they dashed from the nearest university, having been torn away from their lectures by a statement along the lines of “the Princesses say the aliens have brought the cure for cancer.” The “aliens” were a fact now, after all, and no one disrespected the call of one Princess, let alone both.

The papers, although originally written in Galactic Standard, were hastily translated to the Equestrian alphabet, and a sample was provided to the biologists, who with gleaming eyes approved their authenticity.

“One of these is a targeted therapy.” An engineer tapped the holographic screen machine and pointed at the projection displayed by it. “What I roughly understand from it is that cancer eats tons of sugar. The scientists have devised a sugar ‘pocket’ that can hold strong chemotherapy drugs and be ‘eaten’ by the cancer tumour, releasing the drugs in the process. Straight at the tumour, no damage to other organs. Safe and effective. Repeat over and over for better results. Similar thing with other kinds of pockets, like RNA, for example.”

The scientists nodded as if in a trance. Higher Kushan biology and bioengineering was black magic to them; as they stated, they would devise magical substitutes. Not more than two hours later, Luna and Celestia found themselves on a Corvette heading toward the Mothership.

Celestia shifted her weight repeatedly from leg to leg, swished her tail slightly, and looked at the Mothership ahead and at the faces of the pilots with whom she flew. She was “anxious” and “possibly neurotic,” as the Feet Intelligence psychologists described it.

Luna grinned the second she saw the Mothership on the screen. “Has it ever occurred to you, sis, that after decades, centuries, maybe millennia of development, a powerful, space-faring nation would build a spaceship that looks like a banana?”

Celestia deemed to leave that question unanswered and instead gave a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Docking in two minutes,” said the pilot. “Research vessel, prepare the receiving deck.”

“Research vessel’s ready. The receiving deck’s open. Welcome,” came the voice of the research vessel’s crew.

“The Mothership we launched from Kharak wasn’t quite ready, especially to perform scientific research, so we’ve external ships for the job. There wasn’t enough space and time to make modifications in the Mothership itself,” explained the pilot as his colleague took over the control over the starship.

“Hey, don’t worry.” The pilot grinned at Celestia. “We only have people die here once a week, and the last guy died, what? Two days ago? You’ve got five days’ time still. Unless they’ll be researching something ‘special.’ The last time they did that, the only thing left of the whole ship were particles.”

Celestia gulped. Her pupils dilated and focused on the hangar door of the research vessel.

Comments

[Danube]

Didn't read it it yet, but couldn't stand not clicking on something labeled Homeworld. Best RTS ever, let's hope this is just as good. :D

[Lily Lain]

6203817

Thank you again!

6209002

For the moment, I honestly don't remember.
I don't have access to the books and general materials I had at the point of writing this chapter, but I think some research in Google will get you those 20 points guys. I think it was one of the WWII or post WWII treaties.

Also, 2 chapters because intermedio. I really, really didn't want to milk the main page so much to just post 300-word "chapter" when I've quite a few of them still.

6209050

Worked hard on being at least quarter as good as the original Homeworld writers. We'll see how it went. Thank you for giving my fic a chance!

[Chicago Ted]

*insert Spiderman "cancer" meme here*

[thujone]

6209050

I'm pretty sure Homeworld 1 set the stage for good RTS's, being released a couple years after the famous (and totaly ass-kicking-awesome-still-kinda-has-good-graphics-even-now-in-2015) Age of empires. Then followed Homeworld 2, which thankfully wasn't a eff up like some sequels are.

And for the record, who here has played Star Trek Armada 1?

[Danube]

6209086

Worked hard on being at least quarter as good as the original Homeworld writers. We'll see how it went. Thank you for giving my fic a chance!

I wouldn't call some game storyboard writers geniuses of literature, but this story in particular was good. You managed to keep up with them really well.

6211236
Homeworld is the best rts because of the 3D combat. It didn't set the trend though because this feature just died. Honestly, I belive the whole RTS genre is dieing slowly. They just don't make them how they used to.

Also, Star Trek Armada "yay" !